WHY your portrait is powerful!
As a portrait photographer, I’ve been having lots of conversations recently about this very topic. And I feel like it’s a new mission for my photography work this year. It’s not just a slogan. It feels more like a declaration. A promise. This year, it’s a new energy infusing the experience of everyone I work. I’ve always said that the process is just as important as the final images. And now here is the language to articulate that…
When I talk about a portrait being powerful I’m not actually talking about the digital image that you receive at the end if our experience together. It’s so much more than that. The image is not just a thing you have and use. It’s an icon or like a battle cry that encapsulates an experience and a belief that you have in yourself. A deep seated trust that your message is important and should be heard. That you can and should express yourself. That being witnessed is an empowering interaction.
We aren’t really accustomed to our portrait being anything other than a necessary means to an end. And uncomfortable necessity in life and a undesired experience that has to be undertaken. But after hundreds of photo sessions I’ve realised that people are actually having a great time and making a point of telling me that they had and I realised that there was something magic about the interaction and the process.
“I think you just have such a great presence - you immediately put me at ease, and you were so relaxed and positive!”
Growing up on a council estate means that I’ve always been a champion of the underdog. The underrepresented people. Especially those who have lost their voice. And it’s a philosophy in life too whether in politics or in what’s going on in my local communities. It’s probably the reason I wanted to become a school Governor and the reason why I worked as a dance artist for 10 years in the community working with all types of people in the community - having a voice and expressing yourself is for everyone, not just the privileged. I think this is something in my DNA.
But why is your portrait so important? When you have a portrait you love of yourself it works on so many levels and below are some of the reasons why…
1. You see yourself differently. And this changes everYthing.
With the female gaze and my trusty 50mm skin-flattering lens, you might not have seen yourself in this light before. It’s very different from taking selfies on your phone . The beautiful depth of field sets you apart from the background (which is a character in your story) but it’s also having the interaction with someone and having a safe space to be yourself that makes all the difference. I actually tried some self-portraits last year (see below) but it’s really hard to have natural reactions and expressions with yourself. It’s not how the magic happens…
One of my favourite quotes for my work as a portrait photographer is, “A portrait happens on either side of the camera.” You get a lot of energy from being with someone else and it’s magic to bounce off that in a way that helps you relax and feel like yourself, and ground you in the moment. So you see yourself in a new way because it’s through someone else's eyes that are believing in you and cheering you on.
“A portrait happens on either side of the camera”
2. You want to use your voice morE
With the mindset work and preparation documents and resources I share before photo session (which my clients rave about!), you start to have a healthier relationship with yourself and your perspective. These images that you are creating are not forever portraits that will be in your living room forever for all to gaze upon until the end of time. They are to achieve something important in your life right now or to celebrate a moment that you are in. They are a moment in time. Hopefully they will support you in sharing your most important thoughts and the important work that you do. The more you take sip space in front of the lens and the more you achieve with the resulting images, the more you want to do it. And like everything practice takes perfect, so more you get used to being seen under a gentle empowering gaze, the more you will start to enjoy it!
“83% of clients said their shoot had a positive effect on their confidence! *”
*The other 17% were already feeling confident!
3. You share your change-making and important work with the world & don’t stand in your own way so much.
You need images or grab attention and when you have some you really love of yourself you really will start to make connections in your industry and see the fruition of your plans and dreams. People will connect to your mission! But it has to happen through you. We are designed for human interaction and connection and even if you want to grab the attention of a massive brand or organisation, you will do so through connecting with a human that works there. When we are babies are first instinct is to recognise our caregiver’s face - that’s how strong and urgent this bond it. Understanding this helps us realise that sharing more of me is a very natural thing to do. It just feels weird online and in a digital way because we are watching ourselves doing it which feels cringe. But knowing the neuroscience definitely helps us move past it.
4. You overcome your mindset and unlearn cultural conditioning which had held you back for years.
This is huge. And it’s a never-ending journey. But so worth it! I’ve written extensively about this and so will direct you to this blog on confidence which goes into depth about why we struggle so much to be visible. I find being part of the Found & Flourish community of purpose-driven and integrity-led women navigating this journey too a great support. I also found reading PLAYING BIG by Tara Mohr a complete game-changer especially as someone who stepped into the ‘good-girl’ role at school. There is lots to unlearn and a lot of women are doing this work.
5. Ironically you step into a place of power when you realise what you do & FEEL is more important than how you look.
It’s strange because you are doing something so connected to what you look like which is very vulnerable but the irony is that the process affects you internally on a deep level. Confidence is showing up scared and being vulnerable. You never feel ready. I see it time and time again and can tell you countless stories of how nervous and apologetic people are before the shoot and how much fun they are having by the end. And it’s so surprising every time! Grounding yourself in the moment is important because the more relaxed you are the more you will like the final images. Showing up and being yourself in a safe place is completely transformative. I use lots of techniques to make sure this happens, especially showing you the images as we go so you can see the magic that I am witnessing. There is something about acknowledging the camera and then forgetting about it. Then it just feels like friends hanging out!
6. You like the compliments from friends about your images but don’t need the validation the way you used to.
We all love it when someone compliments our outfit or our lipstick. (I love it when people who have known me for ages notice my hazel eyes 😉 ). But this is a nice-to-have, not a necessary to validate ourselves anymore. We don’t need others to like us visually to know that we can have deep and meaningful relationships. I think in our visual digital age we need to be reminded of this. Did you know that by the time we are 18 now we will have seen 6 million unrealistic examples of bodies? No wonder we are constantly feeling inadequate! Compliments are nice but who we are is more important and that is an energy that exudes us which you can see in a photo. When I shared the aforementioned self-portraits - the comments were all about how me they were and how much of my energy was captured. Yay!
7. High quality professional photos make others take you seriously.
But more importantly you start to take yourself seriously. I say this all the time to clients and see it especially when you are starting out or sharing something new. There is a subconscious ‘taking notice’ solely because your images are high-quality, considered and intentional and you look like you are really serious about what you are creating in the world. It commands attention and another reason how your portrait works hard for you once it’s out there.
8. being vulnerable is easier and this is your STRENGTH
I’ve touched on this already but if you have read anything by Brene Brown you will know that she is the talks a lot about vulnerability being true strength. And it’s how we build meaningly relationships. When you share yourself in a vulnerable way whether sharing a failure or asking for help, you allow other people to do the same and invite them into a space with you. I get photos taken on myself to keep it real and remind myself what it’s like to be on your side of the lens. It’s always so important to be reminded of that trust you put in me. Putting yourself in a vulnerable but safe space is really a special thing when it’s done with care and attention. And believe me, you will have the most engagement on your posts when you share yourself. It happens every time…
9. You get more of the work you want!
The Holy Grail! We all want more of the work we love doing! I’m going to drop a Linked In post below from my amazing client and friend Jaz who’s words mean so much because she is reflecting back to me what I hope every single client gains from working with me. Enabled into their own dreams through capturing lots of different facets of you. You are not just one thing and a comprehensive set of images speaks so loudly about how you really are. And sometimes you meet a part of yourself that you haven’t met yet…
I love being a portrait photographer and taking folks on this journey. It’s such a humbling, human experience and it’s so exciting to see what you gain from a photography experience under the female gaze. Capturing the essence of humans is why portraits are so fascinating for me. There is no right or wrong way to smile or look. From full-body joy to seriousness and everything in between, every emotion tells a unique story and side of you. 💖
Power Portraits are one of the ways that I am able to do this work in a way that is a good amount of time for newbie sitters or those just needing an update. Dates available now on the website.
You can also check out my branding shoots too over here where we get to spend a lot more time on your mission and business over multiple locations and more in-depth storytelling!
Let me know via the contact page or below if you’ve experienced any of the point above or want to know more. I’d really love to hear from you!
P.S. It was a task trying to select portraits for this so if you want to see more pop over to my Instagram to see some of my favourite images!
